Something Wicked This Way Comes
by DraakeWicked
Summary: A new villain just arrives to Gotham in the wierdest way.


Wicked Chronicles

Chapter 1, Issue 1

…Something Wicked This Way Comes.

"I've been framed." Harvey Dent says looking at the gun in his lap.

"Open up Harvey!!" An officer's voice demands. "We know you're in there!!! Come out with your hands up!"

The ex-district attorney then reaches into his pocket and draws a large coin. It shines silvery in the moonlight from his only window. "That sounds like a good idea." Then, as he always has, he flips the coin high into the air as his hand lays open awaiting what path Chance will give him. Two Face catches it, takes one last puff of his cigarette, and says; "Bad side wins."

BLAM!

Cops fall over one another trying to dodge the volley of death issued through the door. They return fire but another blast injures or kills the rest of the squad. S.W.A.T. is still twenty minutes away and the night seems bleak. Batman, well no one knows where he is. Least of all, the district attorney is clueless as The Dark Knight comes crashing in through his window and knocks him out before any more damage can be done and leaves with his prize intact for Arkham Asylum.

"I just dropped Harvey off at Arkham." Batman says from within the Batwing to Batgirl onscreen.

"Good, I just got Ivy now and we just pulled in." Barbra responds.

"Alright, be careful." He says in his usual monotone fashion.

"Will do." Then the screen switches to Robin in the Batcave.

"That's the last of 'em! We actually had a night we caught all the bad guys."

"And gals." Alfred interjects.

Bruce adds. "Keep a sharp eye out. Something doesn't feel right."

"I almost wish we had anoth…"

"Careful what you wish for." The Dark Knight interjects.

Alfred: "Did you feel that?"

Batman: "Feel what?"

Robin: "The ground suddenly shook, but it was so subtle. I almost didn't feel it." Robin says.

Barbra suddenly appears on screen. "We've got bigger problems to worry about."

"What is it?"

"There's an earthquake at the asylum too. That and Harley just walked through the door!"

"She's alive!" Robin yells.

"Barely. She looks a bit suicidal…I think she actually cared for Joker." Barbra says.

"Well she knows who we are….keep an eye on her until we are sure she won't use that against us." The Dark Knight dictates.

"Nothing like a night alone in Arkham," she half jokes and half complains. "I'll try and make the best of it."

"I'll send you some help as soon as I can."

"Thanks, Batman. Wait? Supergirl?"

"Yeah, you two handled Livewire, Quinn, and Ivy last time they where loose. Besides …"

But Batman's statement is cut short by the blaring sirens of their instrument panels. As The Protector of Gotham leans forward to check what's wrong, his Batwing jerks violently as if he hit something. He looks around forsaking the data and finds the night sky has actually darkened to an unnatural color of black even for Gotham City. He checks his navigation finding he is flying over police headquarters. He tries to tell Barbra and Tim what is happening when a thick fog rolls in blanketing every skyscraper and rendering his eyes useless. Then lightning flashes around him skimming the side of his jet. He grapples the flight control leveling him out and pulls into a climb.

"Batman, I'm getting readings of seismic activity all over the city! I don't know who did what but it's shaping up to be a really long night." Batgirl says.

"Watch Quinn! I have to make an emergency landing!" Bruce yells then the communicator turns to static on all ends.

Batgirl listens to the rain outside her window hammering against the glass of the asylum with half a dollar sized droplets. Lightning hits three hundred feet from the parked Batmobile and she dutifully heads inside as guards strap Dr. Harleen Quinzel into a straight jacket. Her eyes seem dimmer, her hair a mess, her make up is half washed away from the rain and her own tears, her up-beat personality defeated by loss, and her will to live is a constant debate still running through her bandaged head. Her arm is broken, her leg is over-stretched, her body tired from crawling out of a schism, and her arms are in terrible pain from over-exertion, her body is riddled with scars from a rocket that hit a lot too close to home and her heart is heavy. Harl hears Batgirl walk in and as their eyes meet, the Joker's moll makes a lunge at her but the five men working at Arkham quickly intercept her before any harm can be done.

"YOU KILLED MY PUDDIN'! YOU KILLED HIM AND YOU ALMOST KILLED ME!!!! WHAT KIND OF HERO ARE YOU!!! I'LL KILL YOU BATBRAT!!!! YOU'RE GONNA DIE SLOWLY TOOTSE YOU'RE GONNA DIE!!!!" She yells as guards carry her off to her cell. Where they shove her into the padded walled enclose and leave her to her rants. Yet Batgirl sticks to her assignment.

"Look, I'm sorry about…" Barbra starts.

"What? You came for my dignity too? Some hero you shaped up to be. Mr. J was just jokin' and you kill 'em! You get to keep ol' Birdbrain but I lost my puddin'!"

"What did you ever see in him anyway?

"He made me laugh." She smiles widely as her memory regurgitates all things Joker-filled. "He used to be so nice in here. Back when it was just me and him…" She sighs heavily. "Back when it was just…"

"You know he's tried to kill you more than once."

"Thirty seven and I've survived every one!"

"But why hang on to a man who…"

"Hey, toots, no one tells you who you fall in love with. You just do!"

"I never can understand you!....Now that Joker is gone…what are you going to do?"

"Um…I don't know. Never thought I'd be here. I always thought I'd be with puddin'. " She says then her mind starts thinking. "You know, Batman really changed things like my puddin' always said. Hehe. He knew The Fart Knight better than he knew himself. He saw the cops clampin' down on the mobsters like they are now...and he saw the mob hitting us up for help and he even saw them selling us out. Puddin' said ' it was the nature of the villain to always backstab first.' Hehe. And he was right! Mr. J said things would never go back to the way they where. I really want them to." Sob! "Why did you have to kill him!!!"

"I didn't kill him! Robin di..."

"Excuse me…Batgirl?" A soft voice asks. Barbra wheels around to catch an uppercut to the jaw line knocking her out cold.

"Ivy!" Harley yells gleefully.

"What happened to you?!" Ivy asks looking at her bandages.

"It's all Batgirl's fault! She knocked my bazooka out my hand and it shot me! Then my band broke and I fell down a hole under the first Arkham!"

As much as I hate to admit it; she is right." The poisonous seducer says. "You need to look past Joker if you want to survive, Harl."

"But I love 'em, Pamy!"

"I…know Harley. I know. The time will come when you will find someone new and you will forget all about the clown."

"Really? Is that how you forgot about…um…what's his name?!"

"Harl just get out of your cell."

"Oh come on! What's his name?"

"I…don't remember. Let's go."

"Sure thing, Red."

"You know Ivy, I wish we…you know…had a bat that could turn the tables on the Bat."

"You lost me as soon as you opened your mouth, sweetheart." Ivy states.

"I mean, I wanna guy…or gal who can be like Batman but…different," The Damsel of Chaos struggles with what she means.

"Oh, you mean you want a person to come into Gotham City and change our current predicament as much as Batman did but in a negative way."

"Yeah! No, I mean, I don't know. I just want things to change."

"I like the fir- Get under a table or something sturdy, Harl!"

Ivy didn't have time to finish her statement for the ground underneath Gotham began to rumble like a base cabinet at maximum volume. The city's center violently shakes as buildings slowly tumble to the ground. The Mayor orders all gas lines shut off all over. The exterior edges of the island become trashed by huge waves that just barely brake over the sea walls. Some waves even bounce back, gain momentum, and overtake a few bridges. Then the wind picks up to the point that Batman lands on top of police headquarters and checks on the Commissioner.

Then, as the pressure under the city builds and builds, one tectonic plate gives way to the other and slides underneath it causing a huge red fountain to erupt right in the heart of Gotham. Buildings melt almost instantly or finish melting before the lava reaches its peak height of three miles. The Justice League is quick to respond. Superman uses his speed and strength to rescue anyone trapped around the pool that is unnaturally rapidly forming around the pillar of lava.

Wonder Woman is quick to pull anyone out of harms way and even knocks over a few fire hydrants to try and cool the fires down in vain. Green Lantern just focuses on rescuing any rescuers and Hawkgirl works on any citizens trapped on the roof tops and the Martian Manhunter lends a hand where he can.

"There is something in the lava." J'hon states telepathically to all members of the Justice League.

"Like what?" Hawkgirl asks semi-impatiently.

"Something…alive and dead."

"What do you mean?" Superman asks.

Suddenly, a new truck begins filming the incident. Wonder Woman yells for them to leave when a fiery body slams into the top of the truck crushing it flat. The news crew is mortified at first, but slowly gains their composer and looks at the corpse or what they think is a corpse. The anchor woman leans over him listening to a heavy breath blowing thick plumes of black smoke with every exhale.

"He…seems to be sleeping." She says to the camera man.

"Look!" He shouts back as they see their ride melting around the unconscious body. He begins to melt through the street when Superman picks him up. "What is he?"

"I don't know…" The Martian Manhunter says trying to read his mind. "He is blocking my telepathy."

"I think we should take him to Arkham." Batman says.

"What? Why?" Wonder Woman demands.

"Arkham is the only place in Gotham City with power and most of the critically wounded patients have been moved there already. He will receive the best medical care there if he is hurt." The Dark Knight replies.

"Oh." She says feeling foolish.

As the heroes realize they are not paying any attention to the disaster around them they suddenly realize the lava plume has stopped, the lava pool has flown into a schism underneath it and the waves have calmed down. All that remains is the lightning and the very heavy rain.

"Who is he?" The reporter asks trying not to be too demanding.

"Nobody special." The man replies in a murmur and continues sleeping.


End file.
